Laura's professional experience includes eight years with a local refugee resettlement agency, the Cambodian Mutual Assistance Association, and eight years with Catholic Relief Services working on development and relief projects in Kenya, Rwanda, Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda and other countries. She spent two years as an ESL teacher with the Peace Corps in the People’s Republic of Benin in West Africa, and a year teaching ESL at Ashland College.

Laura also holds a partial appointment with the Center for African Studies in Ohio State's Office of International Affairs.